Third Person's Point of View
Looking for an apartment didn't take long for Teddy since, after three days of staying with Joe, she could finally move into her own apartment. She likes this apartment better since it is closer to the Robredos so she always has a place to go and them the same.
It was also more prominently bigger, and it felt like she was handed a clean slate. In the previous apartment, it had all of the family pictures that she was not a part of, seeing as she was in the States or busy with college. So it was only a reminder of the family trauma that was handed to her. That despite all of her efforts to make a connection with her parents, she failed.
That week was been interesting, to say the least, since there had been this fight inside the Lopez family. The family zoom call ended up with Isla and Jao almost flying over to the Philippines to give thier mom a piece of thier mind in person, but Teddy was able to stop them.
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Flashback
Isla and Jao looked at the screen fuming, you could see Stephanie (Teddy's sister-in-law) at the bad rubbing her husband's shoulder to try and calm home down.
"Mom, please tell me you didn't say that to Teddy," Isla said the moment Teddy entered the call. You could clearly see her stuff there behind her, still neatly packed since the call was made last minute.
The sight just made her older sibling madder, feeling extra protective towards Teddy since she grew up with them.
"Ate, give us a virtual apartment tour," Joey said, trying to lighten the mood since she could feel the tension through the screen.
Of course, she had seen the apartment, she was there earlier to help bring some of her things there and unpack the furniture and dishes that she and Tricia bought. Thank god for Ikea.
Teddy turned the camera and showed the empty apartment, boxes on the floor and newly-build furniture beside it, while her suitcase lay there unmoved. "I'm still unpacking."
"Ang hindi ko lang naman kasi maintindihan, is bakit mo pa kailangan ng apartment? Diba babalik ka naman sa States?" Their mother asked, not liking her children's attitude towards her.
Isla sneered as she looked over at Rome, making sure her youngest was sleeping. "Baka naman kasi mabankrupt siya diba kung ilang months siya magstastay sa hotel. Alam mo kung papalayasin mo lang pala siya, edi dapat ako na lang in charge sa accommodations niya. Sabi mo kasi pwede siya sa apartment niyo diba."
Teddy sighed and gave her sister a look, a look she purposely ignored kasi she knows she would just cave pag nakita niya yun. Isla has a soft spot for Teddy, both her and Jao have. Isang tingin lang niya, makukuha niya na gusto niya.
She's just grateful na mabait talaga na tao kapatid niya at hinding hindi niya aabusuhin yun.
"Hindi ko naman kasi siya pinalayas diba, siya yung kusang umalis."
"Kasi you questioned her independence, Mom. It's like you are questioning how Kuya and I raised her, kasi nga diba you chickened out on the responsibility. And then you questioned my leadership and Joey's leadership kasi we are women? Internalized misogyny yarn?"
"Pero hindi naman yun yung sinasabi ko. Iba lang interpretation ni Theodora."
Joey cleared her throat and gave ther screen a look. "Actually, ako nagsabi kenna Kuya, away pa ni Ate Teddy sabihin sa kanila nangyari."
And that just her up, kasi si favorite na yung nagsalita.
Jao, who has been silently listening to what was happening, butted in. "So anong gusto mong sabihin? If I remember correctly, ang balita saamin ni Joey is that ang sabi mo 'aanohin mo pa and educated kung hindi naman well-mannered' and then you proceeded to say that women are too emotional and should not be given much power. And then when Teddy defends her sisters, you question her independence when you damn well know that out of all of us in the call right now, she is the most independent."
"Well-mannered ampota," Isla chuckled in disbelief, busying herself in fixing the small hairs of Rome. "Well-mannered ba and ang may mindset na ganyan? Well-mannered ba ang iniiwan ang anak para yung ibang anak niya yung mag-alaga? Well-mannered ba ang umalis at hindi magpaalam sa mga anak niyang dumedepende sa kanya?"
"Putanging 11 palang si Teddy nung iniwan niyo siya ah, she had to do everything by herself, yet she still had the desency to think of others. Alam mo ba balak ko na magstop ng pag-aaral para tulungan siya, para mapag-aral siya, at para samahan siya? Ang layo kaya ng Boston sa Manhattan. Pero siya nagpush sa akin na tapusin ko hanggang Law School para hindi naman daw sayang."
"She started working at 11 and looked for scholarships kasi ayaw niya na magbayad ako at ni Kuya Jao ng tuition. She had to live by herself while I'm in Boston and Kuya is at work. Hindi mo yun alam ano? Kasi wala ka. Wala kayo ni Dad."
Teddy sighed, feeling a headache coming up while everyone on the call stayed quiet. This is why she didn't like coming home.
Jao looked over at Stephanie and whispered something in her ear before looking back at his family. "Lilipad kami diyan as soon as possible."
"Kuya," Teddy said, giving her brother a stern look. "Kuya may work pa kayo ni Ate Steph, and may school pa yung kids. You don't have to come home na, nakalipat naman na din ako."
"No, sasama ako sayo Kuya, I feel like I have to be there right now," Isla added, already going to her phone to check her calendar because she wants to clear her schedule.
Teddy huffed and folded her arm. "Wag nga kayong OA, may mga meetings ka pa with your clients, diba meron yung SA case sa Gerogia and need ka nila dun." Napatigil si Isla sa narinig niya. "And Kuya diba ikaw yung volunteer pilot for the Africa trip. You guys have far more important things to handle than come here for this petty nonsense fight. It's done na. Tapos na. You don't have to do all of that."
"Tignan mo yan, buti pa si Teddy alam schedule natin, mga magulang natin hindi pa ata sure kung anong ginagawa natin eh," Isla said when she noticed her Mom's expression.
Both of thier parents left the call, not being able to handle the guilt-tripping thier second child was giving them. Jao and Joey were both laughing while Teddy just sent her older sister a look. "Ate, you didn't have to go that far."
"Desurve."
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They Mom had always been the oddball out when it comes to different beliefs, she was also the last person Teddy came out to because of that exact reason. It took her a while to accept that one of her daughters is gay, and they have a feeling it would take a long time to educate and convince her.
Cholo, on the other hand, refuses to pick a side. Since he loves his wife but he also loves his children. So he has always just been silent during these kinds of conversations, which does not look good for him.
Joey went to the both of them and gave her a piece of her mind since Isla took most of the time during thier Zoom call, now that conversation was a whole other story.
Now though, almost March, and they were doing house-to-house in Manila before the small sortie that was happening in the same area.
Because Teddy was basically with the Robredos almost every day the past few weeks(and with the TikTok Joe forces her to make with her), she was starting to be known, to the point where people were starting to ask for pictures with her and making signs to get her attention. It was amusing, to say the least.
"Tricia," Teddy called out, walking over to her. She had sweat dripping down her face while she held a handful of arm bands and flyers, giving the people their whole slate. "You were looking for me?"
Tricia chuckled and pulled her handkerchief up and started wiping the sweat off of her face. Teddy grinned but her attention was mostly on what she was holding. "I saw there were a few people at the other side. I don't think we passed them yet so I think I'm going there."
"Okay," The second Robredo child said. "Basta you have your phone with you diba? Para I could text you when we are moving to the other side."
"Yes po," she put her phone up and showed it to her with a grin. "I have it with me."
"Powerbank, you need?"
"Hmm..." Teddy hummed, looking at the phone with pursed lips. "No need. I'm going na, baka umalis sila."
Tricia nodded and watched her start walking away. When she was gone, one of the other BEK volunteer doctors went over to Tricia and gave her a bottle of water. "Thank you so much, Doc RJ."
He smiled and nodded his head. "No problem, Doc Trish."
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It was the small sortie already and Teddy was standing at the side and she watched the whole Team Angat about to go to the stage. She looked over at Tricia's way and saw that she was talking to Doc RJ. He was one of the people they have gotten close to since volunteering for BEK.
Hindi naman sa nagseselos si Teddy since hindi naman suta talagang maseselosin na tao, pero ngayon lumalabas pagkaselosa niya.
Trabahi ni Ate Isla yung mag selos eh, pero lumalabas pagkaselosa ko dito.
She watched the both of them laugh at something he said, and she doesn't like seeing it so she turned and just smiled at the people passing by. That is when she saw Sen Risa start making her way toward her.
Teddy sent her a huge smile, immediately making mano before pulling her into a hug. "Hello po Tita Senri."
"Tita SenRi talaga," she chuckled, keeping her arms around her as they were led to the tent area so they would not be under the sun.
Teddy chuckled and nodded her head. "Kayo isa sa mga senator ko eh," she replied with a cheeky smile.
The other girl chuckled and looked around like she was looking for someone. "Nasaan yung other half mo?"
"Joey has classes po so hindi siya nakasama right now," Teddy replied, making sure they were not in anyone's way.
SenRi chuckled and shook her head. "Hindi siya yung tinutukoy ko, si Tricia."
Tila nabilaukan si Teddy nung narinig niya yung sinabi ni Senator Risa, quickly looking around incase anyone heard them. Pag narinig kasi ni Aika at Jill, wala na, yari na.
"Other half Tita? Si Tricia? No kaya." Then Teddy looked over at Tricia who was still talking to Doc. RJ.
Risa saw what she was looking at, so she looked back at the younger girl and chuckled, shaking her head. "Alam mo anak, kung ano yung pinakapinagsisisihan ko na ginawa ko sa pag-ibig?"
Teddy looked at her and shook her head, interested in what the Senator was about to say. "No po, what is it?"
"Maghintay."
Teddy became quiet, just looking down at the floor as she thought about what she said. She sighed and nodded her head. "I just don't know how to... I don't know po."
"Ano ba yung hinhintay mo? What's stopping you from telling her how you feel?" she asked, both of them sitting on the monoblock.
The younger girl sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "Eh you Tita, what's stopping you from telling you how you feel?"
Risa grinned at the younger girl. She knew she was asking out of pure curiosity. Both of thier heads looked over at VP Leni, who was talking to the people she was passing by, despite having the mask on, they knew she had a smile on her face.
"It might be too late," Risa replied with a sigh.
"It's never too late Tita, malay mo diba. How about let's make a deal, pag umamin ako, aamin ka din?"
Risa looked at her for a second, thinking this through, but then she nodded her head. "Deal, pero I will help you since mukhang hindi mo alam ginagawa mo."
Teddy gasped in feign offense, putting her hand up to her chest. "Alam ko kaya, hinihintay ko lang yung right time. Pero, how will you help me?"
"Wag kang mag-alala, may plano ako. Just trust me."
Teddy looked at her confused but the senator just gave her a smile before she was ushered up to the stage. She watched at the side, keeping her eyes out in case anyone needs any sort of medical attention. That is when Jill and Aika made thier way toward her with a smile.
"Chill ka muna Ate Teddy, tatawagan ka naman pag kailangan ka nila eh. Kanina ka pa diyan."
They handed her a bottle of water, which she gladly accepted since she felt her throat dry with all of the talking she was doing earlier. The three of them stayed close together, all of them watching and making sure everything was going smoothly, easily being able to act if ever they were needed.
Nothing much happened until it was Sen Risa who was up there and reading the placards on stage. They were all laughing and having fun until she read a placard out loud.
Sa gobyernong tapat, haharanahan ni Doc Teddy lahat
Teddy looked at the person who was holding it and saw it was one of the girls who asked for a picture with her earlier, laughing when she started jumping up and down.
The moment Sen Risa read the placard out loud, everyone started screaming and cheering. Tricia looked at the crowd and chuckled, but she squinted her eyes at this one person who was screaming her head off, not liking how that one girl was reacting.
Wala pa nga, kinikilig na agad.
Doc RJ nudged the girl beside him, giving him a knowing look as she pointed over at Teddy's direction, who was being pushed on stage. "Sige nga, pagbibigyan ko kayo ngayon lang. Doc Teddy?"
Teddy felt herself blush when she got on stage, feeling everyone's eyes on her. When they saw her walking over, everyone started to scream more making her chuckle.
She walked over to Sen Risa and gave her a beso so she could talk to her na din. "This is your plan?"
"Diba old school ka?" She asked with a grin. "Haranahan mo."
"I didn't think you were going to do the plan today," Teddy chuckled, gladly accepting the mic that was being given to her.
She was thankful that she had done so many impromptu gigs and speeches before that she didn't actually mind doing this.
"Ang tagal mo eh, gusto ko na din umamin."
Teddy felt her jaw drop open, looking at her the older girl beside her. "You planned this."
"Actually, kami ni Tita Leni mo," Risa said, pointing at VP Leni behind her, who was giving her a supportive smile and 2 thumbs up. "Matagal na ako umamin, actually, pero pinapakiramdaman lang namin yung relasyon namin ngayon. Taking it slow, kumbaga."
The doctor huffed and put a strand of hair behind her ear. "Tita ah, you guys played me."
Risa just smirked and sent her a wink before pushing her in front so she could speak. "You need guitar?"
"Yes please."
So while they went and got her a guitar, which was easy since there were a few people in the crowd who brought it with them, she decided to entertain the crowd.
Everyone watched in anticipation as she put the mic up to her blood-red lips. "ANG PRESIDENTE?!"
She put the mic up to the crowd as they screamed. "LENI ROBREDO!!!"
"BISE PRESIDENTE?!"
"KIKO PANGILINAN!!"
Teddy chuckled while everyone cheered. She ran her hands through her hair and walked to the middle of the stage. "So sa mga hindi po nakakakilala sakin, ako po si Theodora Lopez, you could call me Teddy, or Theo, pero utang na loob, wag pong Dora."
The crowd laughed while Teddy sent them a charming grin. Aika, Jill, and Tricia could not help but smile at how natural she looked speaking in front of so many people.
"Ako po ay isang doktor, residency program ko po talaga is sa Seattle pero umuwi ako para suportahan ang ating susunod na Presidente ng Pilipinas, LENI ROBREDO!! Pati na din ang susunod natin na bise presidente na si KIKO PANGILINAN!!"
Teddy let the crowd cheer before she continued. "And since kami po ang nangangampanya, dapat kami po ang maghaharana sa inyo, okay ba yun?"
She grabbed the guitar that was being handed to her, put the strap on, and made sure that everything was okay. She had the amplifier beside her as she strummed a few chords. The moment the music started playing, everyone was cheering. They handed her a mic stand, which she gladly accepted.
"So yung song na pinili ko para sa harana ko ngayong araw is a new song by Ate Moi, and I think this goes for not only VP Leni, but to everyone who chose to stick with us through the fight. Sa mga taong nanindigan at patuloy na maninindigan. Para sa mga kabataan."
Teddy looked at Tricia, who was looking back at her with a grin and a thumbs up, just like her Mama.
At ang pinakaimportante, para sayo ito.
"Kayo ang aming kumpas."
She started strumming the guitar making the cheers become louder.
Pa'no bang mababawi
Lahat ng mga nasabi hmm
Di naman inakalang
Ika'y darating lang bigla ng walang babala
Her friendship with the Vice President's second child came as a surprise to her, in all honesty. How the both of them met, how they both became close, and how their "relationship" was going on now.
With how her life was going then, she had gotten used to being alone, let alone forming feelings for someone. When they met, she had just gotten out of a 3-year relationship. The relationship that she thought would be her last. With everyone trying to pursue her, she turned all of them down.
But then she arrived.
Sa isang iglap
Nagbago ang lahat
Hindi ko na kaya pa na magpanggap
Did she try to let the feelings go? Hell yeah. It would not look good in other people's eyes for an intern to have a thing with the resident, and she knew Tricia needed no distractions during her first year. So she waited. She waited until it was the right time to pursue anything.
Also, her friendship with the older girl means so much to her, and she didn't want it to get destroyed. They were both comfortable being in between. Not lovers but more than friends.
But maybe she is ready to take that step with her.
Ikaw ang kumpas pag naliligaw
Ikaw ang kulay sa langit na bughaw
Sa bawat bagyo na dumadayo
Ikaw ang kanlungan na kailangan ko
Kahit hindi mo alam
Ilang beses mo akong niligtas
Ikaw ang hantungan at aking wakas
She couldn't help but look at Tricia the whole time she was singing the chorus, she just internally thanked God that in the audience's perspective she was closing her eyes. But everyone on the stage knew who she was singing it to.
Janine Patricia Gerona Robredo.
The woman was starting to get teary-eyed watching the girl in front of them perform.
Aika and Jill were holding each other, trying to contain their kilig, while Tricia had her arms wrapped around herself, letting Teddy's soft and angelic voice wrap around her like a warm hug.
Shet in love na ata ako.
Pa'nong maniniwala
Ika'y nasa 'king harapan hmm
'Di naman naiplano ako'y mabihag ng gan'to
Totoo ba ito
Her mind drifted to a few weeks ago, both of them just standing there while hugging each other. It was the most comfort she had felt in the arms of a person, seeing as she had never really been the touchy type.
Or when they were both decorating her apartment, the laughter, the stories, the comfort.
Sa isang iglap
Nagbago ako
Hindi ko na kayang mawalay sayo
The comfort.
She felt comfortable around Tricia, and it scared her how comfortable she felt around her in a short amount of time. It wasn't like her, but that is something she noticed the moment Tricia arrived in her life.
She isn't the Teddy she knew before, she is a better version of herself. Tricia brings out the better version of herself.
Ikaw ang kumpas 'pag naliligaw
Ikaw ang kulay sa langit na bughaw
Sa bawat bagyo na dumadayo
Ikaw ang kanlungan na kailangan ko
Kahit hindi mo alam
Ilang beses mo akong niligtas
To hide her emotions, since she noticed that she had been singing to Tricia the whole time, she covered it up by turning around and pointing at VP Leni, who was swaying in the background. VP smiled at her and nodded her head, making Teddy grin.
It was a silent conversation between the two, only the two of them understood what that meant.
She approves. VP Leni approves.
Ikaw ang hantungan at aking wakas ah
Ah ah
Everyone noticed how much more motion Teddy put in those notes, feeling happy and overwhelmed at what transpired back there. Tricia, who was wiping the tears from her cheeks, she tilted her head and grinned as she watched Teddy sway with the music.
She was enchanting up there, her voice, the way she moved... the way they would make eye contact once in a while.
The eye contact was something Tricia noticed, the way she would already know what she was feeling to moment she looked straight at her. The eyes truly are the windows to the soul.
Sana'y iyong matanggap
Kung sino ako talaga
She knew she had so much to learn about Teddy, there are so many things that the younger girl still hasn't shared to her. But despite not knowing all of that, she knew that she would love all of them.
Iba talaga kasi ang taong umiibig, despite all her flaws, imperfections, and insecurities, Teddy is perfect in Tricia's eyes.
Ikaw 'yung kumpas no'ng naliligaw
Naging kulay ka sa langit na bughaw
Sa bawat bagyo na dumayo
Ikaw 'yung kanlungan na nahanap ko
Kahit no'ng 'di ko alam ilang beses mo akong niligtas
Ikaw ang hantungan at aking wakas
With the last line, Teddy didn't even try to hide how she looked at Tricia. She turned her whole body and sang it to her. Kasi she wants her to know that it's true, na si Tricia ang hantungan niya, at siya din ang kanyang wakas.
And she will do everything to make her worthy of her love, she would do anything to let her understand how important she is to her, and she would do anything to keep her in her life. Hindi niya alam kung ano ang magiging kinalabasan ng relasyon nila sa huli. Pero handa na siya. Handa siyang isakripisyo ang lahat para sa kanya.
She tried to convey it through the song. She just hoped Tricia felt the same.
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Author's Note: Isla woke up and chose violence.
I had this idea written down for a while now, so I just had to write a few things down to complete it. Longest chapter I had written so far in this book, I just got carried away LMAO.